Double Generations
by Elyndewen Startree
Summary: This is the story of Sarugani and Dove and Sarai, raka characters from Tamora Pierce's newest book, "Trickster's Choice." Stories are told of a mother to her daughters as they live their lives. Takes place directly after "Trickster's Choice", MAJOR spoile


Double Generation  
  
by Elyndewen Startree  
  
Summary: This is a story that takes part before and after Tamora Pierce's newest book, "Trickster's Choice." It's about Sarai and Dove and their mother Sarugani. MAJOR "Trickster's Choice" spoilers, I suggest you read it soon, cuz it ROCKS!  
  
A/N: Don't own any of it for now. This information may become far from the truth when she writes a sequel, but oh well. Read! Now!  
  
Dove was walking out to the hill where Aly was visiting her goats. Though the Tortallan freed slave was no longer the goatherder, she still liked to go out to the hill occasionally. Sarai was sewing inside the castle in Tanair with Winnamine. Ever since Mequen's death, they had spent a lot of time doing that. Dove had decided that it was good for them; they'd get to know each other a little better. For the time-being, Dove herself would use her energy to try and find out more about her knew friend. Somehow, she couldn't displace feelings that Aly didn't tell her family and servants everything about herself.  
  
She rounded a corner and found Aly. With Nawat. Perhaps this was not the best time. Aly was trying to explain more human customs to Nawat, but he didn't seem very interested. He was stroking Aly's chin-length hair, twining it around his fingers. He whispered something in her ear; and suddenly the tranquility was broken. Aly shouted very loudly and unintelligibly at Nawat, who wisely decided to back off.  
  
Dove did not want to interrupt, as Aly was blushing furiously, something that did not happen often. Her questions could wait. She might as well go and sew with Sarai and Winna.  
  
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Sarai jumped to her feet the instant that her sister walked into the chamber. "Where have you been?!" she asked vehemently. "Winna said that she would tell us stories of mother today, or had you forgotten?"  
  
"I had forgotten. Besides, it's not as if this is the only time that she can tell us these stories!" replied Dove.  
  
"Saraiyu! Dovasary! What has gotten into the two of you?!" exclaimed Duchess Winnamine, appalled that these very loving sisters could exchange such harsh words. "Sarai, Dove is right, I have plenty of time to tell you stories of Sarugani. However, I only have until spring, for that is when we must pack up and head back to Rajmuat. But until then, I will try to tell you lot's about your mother. Apologize to each other, and then tell me where to start."  
  
"I'm sorry, Dove," said Sarai, humbled by her stepmother's words.  
  
"And I. I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner," agreed Dove. "Why don't you decide what you want to hear first?"  
  
"Well, I'd like to hear a description of her first."  
  
"Easy enough," said Winnamine. "Dove, you actually take after your mother more. A few years, and you'll look very much like her."  
  
The girls had picked up their sewing, but they were listening intently, hungrily hanging on to every word.  
  
"She was the very essence of a full-blooded raka; coppery skin, glossy black hair and bottomless dark-brown eyes. She had very long eyelashes, and they accented her eyes, which were almost inhumanly large. Sarai inherited her mouth, but Dove has her nose, as Sarai's is more like Mequen's was." Winnamine paused for a moment; to let a short lived sadness wash over her for her late husband. Then she began again. "She was tall, and slim, with a figure much like Sarai's."  
  
"So she was beautiful," said Dove in a voice that was not quite bitter. "But what about her character? What did she like to DO?"  
  
"It's interesting that you ask that, because her traits were split between the two of you. You know that she loved to ride, a trait that Sarai has picked up, though perhaps with a better sense of caution. But she also was very curious about the world, like Dove. She wanted to meet people and learn about other places. That's part of why the raka loved her so much. She was of their kind, but not restricted. She could make them important by being herself and making herself and her people known to the rest of the world. That's why she was so cherished by her people."  
  
Sarai and Dove digested this information, thinking about what their mother and they represented. A link between two peoples who refused to coexist peacefully when it would be so simple to split up the islands that were tumultuously shared by the luarins and the raka.  
  
Winnamine spent the rest of the afternoon telling her stepdaughters stories of her best friend. How she rode. What horses she had owned. Pranks she had pulled. Times the two of them went of on "explorations" only to get dragged back by their raka bodyguard. They begged and begged her for more. Finally, it was time for supper, and her throat was growing sore.  
  
"No more!" she cried heartily. "No more today. I shall tell you more, but not today. Besides," she added, looking at their disappointed expressions. "If I tell you all of it today, there will be nothing left for tomorrow. We'll eat and go to sleep, and tomorrow we'll continue."  
  
Grudgingly, and disappointed, the girls agreed. Since there was nothing left for her to learn from Winna, Dove decided to go off and search for Aly again, hoping that Nawat was in his workshop, far away from her maid.  
  
Aly was in the kitchen, talking to Chenaol, their free raka chief cook. As she walked in, the delicious smells of spicy food wafted into her nose, making her feel elated and floaty. Apparently, Aly was complaining about Nawat's "troubling behavior." Chenaol was about to reply, but cut off abruptly at the sight of Dove.  
  
"My lady," she said. "What brings you down here?"  
  
"I was looking for Aly. As you know, supper is very soon, and I should like to change gowns. That is," replied Dove. "If she is not to busy?"  
  
"Of course I'm not," said Aly. "I'm coming. I just lost track of the time." Dove found that hard to believe, as no one was more attentive to the time than Chenaol, who Aly had been talking to.  
  
Aly was perplexed as well. Dove could dress herself for dinner, and had done without Aly before. 'What is on that girl's mind?' she wondered. 'She doesn't know about this morning, does she?' The girls walked up to Dove's and Sarai's chamber to prepare the ladies for dinner.  
  
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Several minutes later, they were ready for supper. Sarai was in a tannish-brown dress, with gold cuffs and hem and color, her usual citrine ear drops and pendant adorning her ears and throat. Dove wore a similar gown in medium green, accented with winking silver embroidery and aquamarine jewelry. Dove's gown had the usual second-hand look, however, as it used to be one of Sarai's mended to fit her slimmer, taller build.  
  
They sat through supper, Aly waiting by the door and Winnamine chatting lightly with Dove and Sarai. Aly was impatient for the meal to be over with. She was going to have another explanatory session with Nawat. But this time, he'd better behave himself. She grimaced slightly at the memory of what he had said. It was hard to believe that crows could be that ignorant to human customs, being cousins of the raka.  
  
Dove caught the grimace, and wondered, once again, what Nawat had said. It couldn't have been THAT bad, could it? Sometimes it seemed as if the fletcher was less than human. She sighed and turned back to the conversation at the dinner table, which was slightly less lively than it used to be.  
  
Things were so different from when her father was alive. There seemed to be gloom in every corner of the castle. Outside, fall had just begun, the sky turning grey, adding to the somberness of it all. Even the people were more subdued. The mage, Ochobu wasn't shrieking nearly as much, and with Lokejj gone, not as many jokes found their way to her ears.  
  
Things were definitely coming to a bitter close. Winter would be harsh, no doubt about it. Mentally, physically, emotionally, and all the rest. At least Dove could look forward to tomorrow. She'd learn more about her mother from Winna. It felt good to have a little hope left. 


End file.
